Tongs.



G. N- MORROW.

TONGS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1916.

Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

GEORGE NV MORROW, OF DE IBEQUE, COLORADO.v

Tones;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 6,1917.

Application filed June 13, 1916.. Serial No. 103,550.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, Gnonen N. MORROW, a citizen of the United States,residing at De Beque, in the county of Mesa and State of Colorado, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Tongs; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in tongs and moreparticularly to that class adapted to be used for handling ice, skiddinglogs,- and the like, and my object is to-provide a pair of jaws whichare pivotally secured together at one end and have prongs at theiropposite ends for engagement with objects.-

A further object is to provide a suitable handle which is pivotallyattached to the pivoted ends of the jaws.

A further object is to provide means-on the handle for opening orclosing the jaws.

And a further object is to provide means for normally holding the jawsin closed position.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter set forth andmore-particularly pointed out in the accompanying specification.

In the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this application,

Figure 1 is an elevation of the tongs, such as are used for handlingice, showing means thereon for locking the jaws in closed position.

Fig. 2 is an edge elevation of the tongs, showing the locking means inunlocked position.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view through the handle, showing the lockin locked position.

Fig. 4 is a similar view, showing the lock in unlocked position.

Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of the upper end of a modified form ofhandle, and

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the form of handle employed when thetongsare used or logging purposes. I

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designatecorresponding parts throughout the several 'views, 1 indicates a handle,to the lower end of which is pivotally secured a pair pf jaws 2, theopposite ends of said jaws having inprongs 3 as to readhe upper end ofthe handle 1 is provided with a" cross head 4, having a depending 5,into" which the outer end of the handle extends, the ends of the crossbar having links 6 attached thereto which is connected by a strap, orsimilar flexible device :7, said strap forming a hand hold for carrymgthe tongs.

In order to readily open or close the jaws 2, a sleeve 8 is slidablymounted on the handle 1, the lower end of the sleeve having outwardlyand downwardly curved arms 9 in the ends of which are formed slots 10,through which the jaws 2 extend and by means of which the j aws areswung toopen or closed position.

an object In order to readily manipulate the sleeve and arms carriedthereby, a T-head 11 is attached to the outer end of the sleeve 8 sothat by introducing the hand over the cross head 4 and directing outwardpressure against the under face of the T-head, the sleeve 8 may beeasily moved longitudinally of the handle and the jaws thrown to an openposition, while by directing pressure in the opposite direction on theT-head, the jaws will be swung to a closed position. Nhen the tongs areto be used for storing ice in an ice house or other building, the collar5 and strap 7 are dispensed. with, and an eye 12 formed at the outer endof the handle 1 and also a cross head 18, the eye 12 being employed forattaching a rope to the handle, while the cross head 18 is provided formanually handling the tongs.

In Fig. 6 of the drawing that form of handle is shown as when the tongsare used for skidding logs, in which instance an eye 14 is formed at theouter end of the handle, while the cross head 13 is dispensed with. Whenthetongs are used for skidding logs or for similar purposes'the chain orcable attached to the eye 14 frequently becomes slack, and in order tohold the tongs securely clamped in engagement with the log untilsuchtime as it is desired to release the same, a ring 15 is disposedaround the handle, between the T-head 11 and the collar 5, theopening--16 in the ring being of a greater diameter than the diameterofthe handle, so that the ring will freely slide upon the handle butwill frictionally engage jaws with the handle when the ring is tilted ordisposed at an angle to the axis oi the handle, and in order to hold thering canted, an L-shaped dog 17 is attached to the ring 15, the angularextension of the dog resting upon the face of the T-head 11 when thering is employed for locking the against opening movement. When thetongs are used for carrying ice, or for similar purposes, the ring isrotated on the handle until the dog extends at right angles to theT-head 11, there y permitting the ring to assume its natural positionaround the handle whereby the sleeve may be readily moved lengthwise ofthe handle to open or close the jaws without interference from the ring.

and interlock dog 17, may be provided With 18 which may be readily thering to a level position to unlock the same from the handle, or, ifpreferred, the lip may be dispensed with and a blow delivered to the dog17 to move the same laterally out of engagement with the T-head, and thering structure may be entirely dispensed with when the tongs are to beused for household purposes, such as carrying small cakes of ice, andthe like.

In applying the tongs to use when used for household purposes, the handis placed over the cross bar and the fingers inserted below the T-head11 when the fingers are closed, thus moving the sleeve 8 lengthwise ofthe handle and swinging the jaws open. The jaws are then positioned onopposite sides of the object to be carried and the pressure releasedfrom the T-head, when the jaws, under ordinary circumstances, will closeby their own weight and the weight'of thesleeve and dispose the prongs 3into engagement with the object. Should the jaws refuse to close bytheir own weight, however, a pressure may be directed against the T-head, thus forcing the jaws to closed position, and as soon as theprongs have engaged the object and an upward lifting motion given thetongs, the prongs will be forced into the object and caused to firmlygrip the same.

When the prongs are used for logging purposes, such as skidding logsthrough growing timber, or in moving the same from place to place, atterthe jaws have been moved inwardly until the prongs are embedded withinthe log, the ring 15 is swung on the handle until the dog 17 is inregistration with one arm of the 'T-head 11 when a downward pressure isdirected against that edge of the ring having the lip 18, therebydisposing the ring at an angle to the axis of the handle and causing theedges of the ring'to impinge against the exterior oaposite the a curved11p grasped to move Copies of this patent may be obtained for five centseach, by addressing the 7 Washington, D. (1.

1t preferred, that portion of the ring 15,

of the handle on opposite sides, thereby securely locking the sleeveagainst outward movement so that, even though the pull on the end of thehandle is slackened, the tongs are not released from the log until thering is lifted or the dog disengaged from the T- head.

I claim 1. The herein described tong comprising a handle, a pair of jawspivoted to one end of the handle, prongs on said jaws, a sleeve slidablymounted on the handle, a T-head at one end of the sleeve, a pair ofcurved arms at the opposite end of the sleeve having slots therethroughthrough which the jaws extend, and means to lock the sleeve againstoutward movement on the handle.

2. The herein described tongs comprising a handle, a pair of jawspivotally attached to one end of the handle, prongs on said jaws, asleeve slidably mounted on the handle, curved arms carried by the sleevehaving slots adjacent their free ends through which the jaws extend, aT-head at the end of the sleeve opposite the arms, a ring surroundingthe handle between the T-head and outer end of the handle, said ringhaving an opening greater in diameter than the diameter of the handle,and means to tilt the ring at an angle to the trend of the handlewhereby said ring will frictionally engage the handle and preventoutward movement of the sleeve.

3. A tong of the class described, comprising the combination with ahandle and a pair of aws pivotally secured to said handle, of a sleeveslidably mounted on the handle, curved arms at one end of said sleeve,said arms having slots through which said jaws extend, and a T-head atthe opposite end of the sleeve adapted to receive pressure whereby saidjaws may be swung to open or closed position by the movement of thesleeve on the handle.

The herein described tong comprising the combination with a handle and apair of jaws pivotally secured to one end of the handle, of a sleeveslid.ble on said handle, arms at one end of the handle having slotstherethrough for the reception of said jaws, a T-head at the oppositeend of said sleeve, a ring surrounding said handle, and an l.- shapeddog carried by the ring adapted to tilt the ring to cause the edgesthereof to grip the handle and prevent outward move- 'ment of thesleeve.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE N. MORROVV. Witnesses HARRY A. QUIGLEY, Gnonon R. NOBLE.

Commissioner of Patents,

